Wesleyan women drop
close battle with
Methodist, 57-52
Rocky Mount, NC
- In USA South women’s
basketball action, the
visiting Monarchs of
Methodist College were
able to squeak out a
57-52 win over
homestanding North
Carolina Wesleyan on
Monday night in Everett
Gymnasium. The
Monarchs, who never
trailed in the second
half, improve to 8-6 on
the season with the win
and are now 3-2 in
league play. With the
loss, the Bishops drop
to 4-9 overall, 1-4 in
conference action.
The Bishops led by as
many as seven in the
first half, building a
22-15 lead at the 4:37
mark. Methodist
responded by putting
together an 11-3 run
over the final four
minutes to take a slim
26-25 lead into the
break.
NCWC’s Shameika
Faircloth led all
scorers in the period
with eight points, while
Kristen Whitehurst paced
the visitors with six.
In the second half, the
Monarchs extended their
lead to 41-33 with just
under 15 minutes
remaining, but Wesleyan
pulled to within four at
the 12:57 mark. The
score would remain 42-38
for the next three
minutes as both teams
struggled to find
offense.
A lay-up by MC’s Stacy
Williams broke the
scoring drought and gave
the Monarchs a six-point
advantage with 9:50
remaining. The Bishops
would get as close as
two points on four
occasions over the next
eight minutes.
Wesleyan, however, could
not net the equalizing
basket.
Down 54-52 with 19
seconds left in
regulation, NCWC was
forced to foul MC’s Zan
Messer. Messer hit the
first free throw and
missed the second,
giving the Bishops one
last opportunity to
tie.
Wesleyan managed to get
an open look for senior
J.D. Richardson, but her
three-point attempt
rimmed in-and-out. MC’s
Courtney Bissette calmly
sank both free throws
after the ensuing foul,
sealing the five-point
win for Methodist.
Whitehurst and Williams
paced the Monarchs with
19 and 12 points,
respectively. Williams
also grabbed eight
rebounds, while Messer
dished out a game-high
six assists. Methodist
shot 39.3 percent from
the floor as a team.
For the Bishops, April
Wilson turned in a
team-high 16 points, and
Faircloth finished with
13. Liz Ansley chipped
in eight points, eight
rebounds, and four
assists for the Bishops,
who shot 36.7 percent on
the night.
Wesleyan returns to
action on Thursday night
when the Bishops host
Salem College. Tip-off
is slated for 7:00 p.m.
in Everett Gymnasium.
